C172 pilot lands on closed runway at lxl with suspected fuel leak.

Attributes
ACN	412550
Time
Date	199808
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lxl
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	412550
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : runway inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was maneuvering, taking pictures, when I had a small bird strike while in a 45 degree left bank. The bird struck the windshield and appeared to pass over my right wing close to its root. Upon rolling out of the bank, I noticed my right fuel gauge showing a considerable drop. Assuming that the strike had knocked my fuel cap loose and anticipating a rapid loss of fuel, I elected to land as urgently as possible. My GPS indicated the little falls (morrison county) airport as being the closest airport (7 mi nne). I immediately proceeded to this airport and tried unsuccessfully to raise the unicom 3-5 times. I broadcast my intentions and made a left base approach to runway 30. Upon landing, I inspected (visually) my fuel situation, which did not appear to be as I had presumed (the gauge must have temporarily stuck). I was then informed that the runway was closed due to resurfacing. There were no men or equipment on the runway. The yellow X's at the ends were not by the approach threshold and I must have missed them in my urgency to make a safe landing. The decision I made was in the best interest of safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT LANDS ON CLOSED RWY AT LXL WITH SUSPECTED FUEL LEAK.

Narrative: I WAS MANEUVERING, TAKING PICTURES, WHEN I HAD A SMALL BIRD STRIKE WHILE IN A 45 DEG L BANK. THE BIRD STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD AND APPEARED TO PASS OVER MY R WING CLOSE TO ITS ROOT. UPON ROLLING OUT OF THE BANK, I NOTICED MY R FUEL GAUGE SHOWING A CONSIDERABLE DROP. ASSUMING THAT THE STRIKE HAD KNOCKED MY FUEL CAP LOOSE AND ANTICIPATING A RAPID LOSS OF FUEL, I ELECTED TO LAND AS URGENTLY AS POSSIBLE. MY GPS INDICATED THE LITTLE FALLS (MORRISON COUNTY) ARPT AS BEING THE CLOSEST ARPT (7 MI NNE). I IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDED TO THIS ARPT AND TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO RAISE THE UNICOM 3-5 TIMES. I BROADCAST MY INTENTIONS AND MADE A L BASE APCH TO RWY 30. UPON LNDG, I INSPECTED (VISUALLY) MY FUEL SIT, WHICH DID NOT APPEAR TO BE AS I HAD PRESUMED (THE GAUGE MUST HAVE TEMPORARILY STUCK). I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE RWY WAS CLOSED DUE TO RESURFACING. THERE WERE NO MEN OR EQUIP ON THE RWY. THE YELLOW X'S AT THE ENDS WERE NOT BY THE APCH THRESHOLD AND I MUST HAVE MISSED THEM IN MY URGENCY TO MAKE A SAFE LNDG. THE DECISION I MADE WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.